What is the balance of power, and how effective is it in preventing war?

1. relies on an equilibruim between two poles - USSR and USA

1. Prevents triumph of dominant power
   1. No Total War since WW2
2. MAD - attack would be unsuccessful

1. States compete to become the hegemon

1. Nuclear Arms Race

   Annotations:

   • Lead to Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 Even other states began to stockpile nuclear weapons - though none on a scale similar to the superpowers. 

Annotations:

• Just because no direct action took place, wars were fought via proxy - Afghanistan (US funded Mujahideen to fight Soviet-led Afghans) and Vietnam (North Vietnam - USSR and South Vietnam - US)

1. Absense of Total War could have been luck